Queensland Family History Society Inc
QFHS Calendar Event
Members Lounge - Presenting … Steam Trains in King George Square - The Railway Jubilee of 1914
Starts: 15 May 2024 at 1:00 PM
Ends: 15 May 2024 at 3:00 PM
Notes:
THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD ONLINE AND IN PERSON AT THE QFHS FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH CENTRE i.e. A HYBRID MEETING. Guest Speaker: Greg Hallam, back by popular demand. Greg has been with Queensland Rail since 2000, and has been the Historian for the organisation for almost all of the past 23 years. Greg is a third generation member of the Queensland Railways with a grandfather commencing as a locomotive cleaner in Bundaberg in 1911. He has post-graduate qualifications from the University of Queensland, and had been active professionally in the community history and cultural heritage field for nearly 30 years. Greg has travelled Queensland extensively, documenting the story of the railways and their connection to the State. He has also been fortunate to have travelled from Brisbane to Mareeba, Longreach and Charleville behind steam locomotives for various anniversary events sponsored by Queensland Rail. He even had his ‘office’ set up for a while in the Guards Van of a steam train between Emerald and Longreach, and to Mareeba. In February of 1914, Queensland Railways commemorated the 50th anniversary of the beginning of construction of the first section of railway line in Queensland. This section of line from Ipswich to Bigges Camp (today’s Grandchester west of Ipswich) opened on 31 July 1865. In early 1914, a memo was circulated giving advice as to how the Queensland Railways, (and therefore the Commissioner for Railways) wished to recognise the Jubilee. The Commissioner had formally written to the Mayor of Brisbane, asking for permission to exhibit in Market (Albert) Square, “an example of the progress made in locomotive construction”. A similar exhibit arrangement was decided using the example of the Brisbane Exhibition in 1913. This time around however, what was to be on show would be a bit more challenging to put in place. The decision was taken to put on display what was then, the largest and most modern locomotive on the Queensland Railways roster. This was C18 class locomotive No.692, which would be one of three locomotives of this class eventually put into traffic. It was recently turned out from the Ipswich Workshops, and was intended to be a major drawcard for the public. The other “star” attraction was to be even more significant, A10 No.3. The crowds certainly turned out to see the “Trains in the Square”, and it was considered a good public relations exercise for Queensland Railways. Along with the display, a special commemorative history booklet was prepared for publication later in 1914, and there was also a railway workers gathering planned, for February of 1914, with some of the then oldest railway workers being invited to reminiscence about what it was like fifty years before -"" in the beginning."" Presenting ... times vary between 1pm and 7.30pm Please check the calendar carefully. You are welcome to attend as a visitor. Note: This event is held in QLD time, AEST: no daylight saving. (GMT+10) Please register your planned attendance whether you are attending in person or online.